The Christmas Lodge

Summary: After some tense and hard cases, Strauss gives the elite team some days off around the holidays. Aaron and JJ both take up an offer from David to spend the holidays away from the city, not knowing that this might be a changing point for their relationship in the future.

Notes: Written for the Christmas Gift Fic Exchange on CCOAC as a present to Flames101. Hope you like it! I got Aaron/JJ as the pairing and "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, cabin, fireplace and tinsel" as the prompts. No case, just some mounts of fluff with one of my favorite pairings – Aaron and JJ. Title comes from a TV-movie with Michael Shanks of the same title.

Disclaimer: I wish I could say that the show is mine (which would oh so awesome), but sadly it isn't. Oh, and the same goes for the mentioned song.

December 21st

On one hand, Jennifer Jareau was more than happy about the mass of snow that decided to drop down on Washington D.C. four days before Christmas. Since she was little, she loved snow, and she remembered fondly her childish impatience until she finally could build a snowman and make snow angels. But on the other hand, driving home from work was a lot harder than solving a case with the BAU. Thankfully, she had turned on her car radio to one of the local stations which played Christmas songs from all corners of the world 24-7 in December.

"And now to all parents out there: watch out who you choose to be Santa Claus, or you could experience the next song in real."

JJ chuckled about the DJ, who seemed to be tired of all the special songs. But then the song began, and JJ's mood changed from amused to sad in a mere seconds. "I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus" came over the speakers, and she not only remembered catching her parents, she also remembered one year back when Henry caught her and Will doing the same. JJ couldn't help but let out a sigh. She had no good explanation of how her relationship with Will went down the drain since the wedding. Looking back, she realized that walking down the aisle was a mistake. A mistake that seemed to be a good idea at that time. And now, Will and Henry were on their way to New Orleans to celebrate the holidays with Will's family, and she was about to hole up in David Rossi's cabin in the Catskill Mountains.

Somewhere across town, two men were busy packing. To pinpoint which one of them was more excited was practically impossible. For Aaron, getting away from everything, if even for just a few days, was the best Christmas gift he could get. Spending the time with his son was kind of icing of the cake. And as for Jack? Well, Aaron couldn't really decide if his son was more excited about spending the holidays with him or about the prospect of some fun in the snow. Anyway, he couldn't thank David (and Erin too) enough for lending their cabin to him. But, in the back of his mind, there was a nagging voice questioning out loud if his long-time friend really didn't have any other goals than a peaceful Christmas for Aaron and Jack.

Several hours later, after some long phone calls with her mother, her brother and Henry (in exactly that order), a shower and some final chores around the house, JJ finally pulled up to the cabin. To her big surprise, another car was already parked in the carport next to the house. And she couldn't help but notice that the black SUV seemed somewhat familiar. Sure, they were driving with cars like that nearly everywhere on a case, but she knew that exactly that car wasn't a government issued one. She parked her own car next to the SUV, exited, turned around – and had to suppress a chuckle. Not only the carport and the cabin, but some of the trees and bushes around the house as well were "decorated" with lights and tinsel. While most of it looked fitting for Christmas, some other decorations weren't exactly fitting for the season. Or have you ever seen a Christmas tree decorated with dolphins, sea stars or fishes, cut out from paper?

"JJ? What are you doing here?"

The dark, rich voice from behind brought her out of her reverie and washed over her like a cup of hot chocolate.

"I knew I had seen that car somewhere before."

With that, she turned around, noticing for the first time that her boss was standing only a couple of steps away from her.

"Yeah, David borrowed us the…" He trailed off, noticing the grin that threatened to split her face in half. "Don't tell me he did the same to you."

JJ only could nod. Leave it to David Rossi to play matchmaker. Of course he knew not only of her failed marriage, but of Aaron's split-up with Beth as well. And now it seemed to her that her colleague could read in their hearts, knowing who had a hold on it for quite some time now.

Aaron grabbed her luggage and ushered her inside. While he put her things into the second bedroom of the cabin, JJ put her coat on a hanger and entered the spacious living room. On her left hand, she could see the fireplace, where a fire already was burning. Between the two windows, a big tree was already put up, yet it needed to be decorated.

"You want something to drink?"

Once again, Aaron's voice had the same effect on her. JJ was a bit surprised to literally hear the difference between SSA Hotchner and Aaron, the father and family man. To her, it had been years since she had heard that voice for the first time.

"You've got some hot cocoa?"

"Better: Hot Chocolate. With Marshmallows."

JJ was sure that her face was a funny thing to see. Since she was a kid, hot chocolate/cocoa with Marshmallows was her favorite Christmas drink. Sure, she drank it every Christmas, but only Penelope knew that. More and more, it looked like their respective best friends teamed up to get them together.

"I take it you would like one?"

"As if you have to ask again."

They both went over to the kitchen, where Jack was preparing the cups.

"Miss JJ! Aren't you spending Christmas with Henry?"

"No, sweetie, he's on his way to New Orleans with his dad. Wanna know a secret?" Jack nodded, which caused both Aaron and JJ to chuckle. "Spending the holidays with you and your dad is the next best thing."

"Really?"

"Absolutely."

"Do you want a hot chocolate? We even have Marshmallows."

"I really would like one, Jack."

The two adults made a quick work of preparing the hot beverage, and soon the three of them were sitting at the wooden table, sipping hot chocolate and exchanging Christmas stories.

The next three days were equally spent with decorating the tree, preparing the food and fun in the snow. And more than once JJ found herself wondering what had happened to Aaron. While she knew him better than probably any other on the team, except for David and Penelope, she was privy to see sides of him she never would have associated with him. He and Jack decorated more trees around the house, built a huge snowman and indulged in a huge snowball fight on December 24th, after which both of them had to take a hot shower to get warm again.

Later that day, Jack was already in bed, trying to get some sleep, while Aaron and JJ were sitting in the living room, right in front of the fireplace. In the background, the radio was playing Christmas songs, right now starting with "Frosty The Snowman".

"You know, I begin to thank Dave for playing matchmaker."

"Matchmaker?"

JJ did nothing to hide her smile when she saw Aaron's face. Within seconds, the same man she knew to get a confession out of the hardest and toughest criminals turned red and resembled more a teenager than anything else.

"Yeah, matchmaker. Look, he and Penelope are pretty much the only ones who knew about the recent troubles in our love lives. And you don't have to be a rocket scientist to realize that there is some kind of plan in work. I mean, both of us getting the chance to spend the holidays in his cabin? I don't think of that as a coincidence, don't you?"

"Now that you're saying it, me neither."

For several moments, they just looked each other in the eye, both of them unsure of what, or better how, to say the next thing out loud.

"But you know what?"

"What, Aaron?"

"For the first time since I know Dave, I like his plan. Very much even."

"And how's that so?"

"I couldn't think of a better way to spend the holidays than with my son… and with you."

While JJ's mind was still reeling from his words and what they really meant, Aaron closed the distance between them and kissed her.

"You're sure?"

"Definitely. You wanna know a secret?" He saw her nodding. "I was more than tempted to talk some sense into you right before the wedding. But I thought you would reject me, and since I was there with Beth, I couldn't do it. But whatever I had with Beth, it actually ended at your wedding."

Again, JJ's mind had trouble to grip the words he was saying. Part of her brain was still "recovering" from his kiss (who would've known that Aaron was such a good kisser), the rest was busy comprehending. He really wanted to stop her before walking down the aisle? Oh, if she had only known that at that moment. But on the other hand, it raised the question of how long he had feelings, more than that of a friend, for her.

"One question: how long?"

"How long what?"

"How long", she paused, "how long do have those kind of feelings for me?"

"Honestly? Since I met you for the first time. But I knew I would never have the chance to act on them. First, I was married, then I got divorced, and before I knew it, you and Will were an item, already expecting Henry. And I really hoped for you to be happy with him. Because I would have been happy too."

"Oh, Aaron. I never knew that. But I have to tell you a secret too. The morning I walked into your office to introduce myself, I lost my heart. Or at least the better part of it. And I lost it to you."

He effectively silenced any further explanation with another kiss, which was just the start for activities they moved from the living to her bedroom for the remainder of that night.

December 25th

"Daddy! Daddy! Santa was here!"

Jack's over-excited voice sounded through the whole cabin and brought the two adults in a matter of seconds back to the real world.

"Morning."

"Good morning to you, too."

"I hear someone is pretty excited."

"Yeah, and if we don't hurry up, he'll torn all the gifts apart."

"Well, then we better be quick."

And with that, JJ literally jumped into a shirt and a pair of sweat pants, while Aaron chose a pair of dark blue slacks and a shirt as well. While Aaron went over to the living room to stop his son, JJ went to the kitchen to make breakfast.

"Miss JJ! Santa left a gift for you!"

She looked down at Jack, who held a small gift out for her to take.

"Do you really think that's for me?"

"Yep, it has your name on it."

Before she could respond, the boy took off, back to the living room. Curious as she had never been before, she tore into the paper, only to reveal a rectangular box.

"I hope you like it."

"Aaron… I don't know what to say."

"Open it."

She did as ordered, and the next thing Aaron Hotchner knew were her lips on his, giving him her special thanks for the simple silver charms bracelet. And no matter what the future might hold for them, he was sure that this was already the best Christmas he ever had experienced.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year 2013 to all my readers! May the new year be a good one for all of us!